Proposal To Host Additional Events At New Ryan Field 'Unneighborly,' Wilmette Officials Say

WILMETTE, IL — A pending application that would allow for additional sporting events at Northwestern University's new Ryan Field was met with staunch opposition from the Village of Wilmette.

The Unique Use application would permit 17 additional 10,000-person sporting events at the 28,500-seat venue in a period of five years, with the option to extend the term. Mayor Senta Pulnkett mentioned that the village brought up concerns about this exact issue in 2023, when the new field was first approved.

Plunkett said neighbors worried that Northwestern would continue to push for additional events over time. Wilmette urged the City of Evanston to deny the application to prevent any further impact on the area.

"Northwestern has asked a lot from its neighbors in Wilmette and Evanston, and to ask for more while the extent of the adverse impacts of the already-approved events remains unknown, is unfortunate timing," Plunkett said. "To now add more uncertainty and potential impact to the already impacted area is imprudent at best, and unneighborly at worst."

Officially, the village requested that Evanston deny the application, at least until there is a better understanding of the impacts of the events at the new Ryan Field. Wilmette also asked that if the application is approved, Evanston also implement a corresponding reduction in the number of events of a similar size for the entire period that the applicant is utilizing Ryan Field

"We thank the Evanston Land Use Commission and Evanston City Council for thoughtfully considering the impacts of additional events at Ryan Field upon the more than 500 Wilmette households adjacent to the athletic campus," Plunkett said.